Quantitative Estimation of Peak Areas in Gas-Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

IN proposing the method referred to by Dijkstra, I tried to stress its convenience rather than its extreme accuracy and the examples which I gave were chosen to show that some lack of agreement might be expected in comparing areas determined by this method with areas determined by other methods. However, as Dijkstra points out, results obtained with other methods are less reproducible. Slight differences in the way in which triangles are drawn and small inaccuracies in cutting out curves can give rise to appreciable differences in estimated area. It is also more difficult to measure peak widths at half height accurately than it is to measure retention times. Furthermore, in the case of overlapping peaks it is frequently impossible to get a good estimate of the individual areas by other methods whereas the retention times and peak heights can still be measured and appropriate corrections for peak height applied if necessary.